Auto steering-lock



L. F. COSBY.

AUTO STEERING LOCK. APPLICATION FILED on. 23. ms.

1,342,276; Patented June 1, 1920.

UNET E LUTHER F; GOSBY, 0F DALLAS, TEXAS.

I F i C AUTO STEERING-LOCK.

' Specificationof Letters'Patent. Patented June 1, 1920.

Application filed October 23, 1918. Serial No. 259,348.

known as locks and latches, and more par ticularly has reference to an auto steering lock.

It is the principal aim and object of the present invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein cooperative means are mounted on the steering post and steering wheel and designed to be arranged in engagement with'each other to prevent turning of the steering wheel, thus preventing unauthorized persons from appre/priatingthe machine.

l ore particularly the present invention consists in the provision of a device ofthe above mentioned character wherein a cross bar is mounted on the steering post and is designedto be engaged by the shanks of the locking members which detachably engage the spokes of the steering wheel, while a padlock is employed in conjunction with the locking members for holding them together and in close relation with the cross arm so as to prevent turning of the wheel relative to the post.

It is a more specific object of this inven tion to provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein the locking members are of improved construction capable v of being easily and quickly attached to the spokes of the wheel and removed therefrom when desired.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited the provision of a device of the character described with a View to compactness, and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simple and the cost of production low and the efficiency high.

Other improvements and novel details in the construction and arrangement of the various parts of the apparatus will be brought out more in detail in the description to follow, which for a clearv understanding of the invention should be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein is disclosed for the purpose of illustration a convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention. It is to be noted in this connec tion that minor changesin. the construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the principle of operation of the various parts.

The invention is clearly illustratedin th accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is afront elevation of the invention attached. I

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of one of the locking members. I

Fig. 4 is a crosssection taken on line 44 ofFig.2. Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to

indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to th accompanving drawings there is provided a steering post 1 in which is mounted a steering rod 2 on the upper end of which is carried a steering wheel 8 embodying a hub 4 from which radiates spokes 5 connected at their outer ends to the rim 6. In this con nection it is to be'noted that the spokes di verge from the hub to the rim as is the case in the conventional construction of wheels.

Operably connected to the post and wheel is the improved lock indicated in its entiretyv by the numeral 7, designedfor preventing movement of the wheel relative to the post.

In reducing thepresent lock to actual practice'there is employed a cross bar 8 which is formed with curved terminals 9 and with an arcuate intermediate portion 10'to incidentally provide a clamp section, while cooperatingtherewith is another clamp section 11 which is arcuate incross section and terminates in securing portions 12 which are arranged in abutting relation at one face of the cross bar and secured thereto by suitablenut and bolt arrangements-13 forthe clamping of the arcuate portions of the sections 10 and 11 in opposed relation to each other and about the upper end of the steering post or column 1, as indicated in the drawings.

Cooperating with the curved end portions of the cross bar 8 are the complemental locking members, each indicated. in its entirety by the numeral 14. In each in-- stance each locking member consists of a shank 15 formed at 1ts upper end With a right angularly projecting hook 16, the bill 17 of which is curved downwardly and inwardly and terminates in spaced relation to the shank to permit of therarranging oi these hook members over the restri'cted ends of opposed spokes and the sliding of the hooks toward thevhub, and a consequent frictional engagement of the hooks with the large inner portions of the opposed spokes.

This arrangement serving as a means for securely, yet removably connecting the looking members to-the spokes. Formed at the lower ends of the shanks are inwardly extending curved arms 18 which terminate inoutwardly extending flanges or ears 19 having openings therein. WVhen the hooks are engaged in the manner described, the shanks 15 bear against the curved portions, while i the curved arms 18' are arranged to embrace the post 1, as indicated and are removably held in this position through the medium of a padlock 20, the shackle 21 of which is deigned to -be passed through the openings in the openings of the ears or flanges 19, as indicated and thus serves as a means for rigidly holding the parts in abutting:rela-' tion with each other to consequently prevent independent turning of the wheel relative to the post- -1 and as a result prevents thefts of the machineto which the device is attached.

It is thoughtin View of the foregoing Idescription' that a further detailed description of the operation of the invention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise it is believed that or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited sense. It is also tobe understood that'the language used in the following claims. is intended to cover all the ge-' neric and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

'Whatis claimedis i g 1. The combination with a steering post and a steering wheel, of a, motor vehicle, of

a cross bar rigidly clamped to the post, locking members. formed at the upper ends with hooks for embracing the spokes of the a wheel and at their lower ends with arms for embracing the post, and locking means for holding the arms and hooks in position and for holding the members against the cross bar.

2. The combination with a steering post and a steering wheel, of a-motor vehicle, of a cross bar, means forcl ampmg the bar to the post so thatthe respective endswill pro-g ject beyond the sides of the post, comple mental locking members formed at their upper ends with hooks for embracing the spokes of the wheel and formed at their lower ends with arms for embracing the post in such a manner that the members willabut the projecting ends of the crossbar, and a padlock engageable with the arms for holding the members against movement to consequently prevent movement of the wheel relative to the post.

Thecombination with a steering post and a steering wheel, of a motor vehicle, or"

a cross bar having curved terminals and forming a clamp section for embracing a portion of the post, another clamp section secured to the cross bar and embracing the op osite side of the post for cooperating wit the bar in insuring of the maintenance of the bar in a rigid position on the post, a pair of complemental locking members, each consisting of a shank, a hookproject:

ing at right angles from the upper end of the shank and having a curved bill terminating in spaced relation to the shank for disposition over the restricted outer portion of one of the spokes of the wheel and for frictional'ly engaging the inner portion of the said spoke, the lockingmembers being positioned on opposed spokes so that the shanks abut the cross bar, a curved arm projecting from the lower end of the shank and formed with an ear terminal, thearm's of the locking members embracing the, post, and a padlock having its shackle engaged in the ear terminals of the locking members for preventing relative movement of the parts.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

LUTHER F. COSBY. 

